As I went about my chore of hanging the laundry out to dry, I glanced over at my dog who was occupying herself in the backyard. To my surprise, she had busied herself with energetically digging a sizable hole in the dirt, her paws caked in soil as she excavated with dedication.
This was not her usual behavior, so I paused to watch her work with a puzzled sense of impressment. What had sparked her sudden interest in digging? As she burrowed deeper, small clouds of dust accumulated around her now messy fur. But she paid no mind to the dirt, just kept on steadily digging as if fulfilling some mysterious canine purpose.
Curiosity got the better of me so I approached slowly, pulling my phone out to document this peculiar scene. I turned on the flashlight which illuminated her progress in the growing hole that had already reached a foot in depth. As I snapped some photos, she glanced up with an expression of confusion, head tilted as if to question why I had interrupted her task with the annoying camera flashes.
I continued documenting despite her noticeable attention, capturing images of her soiled snout and tangled fur marked by her outdoor efforts. Eventually she dismissed my bothersome presence and resumed her single-minded digging, undeterred by my attention.
What was this all about? What had sparked this purposeful hole excavation? It remained a puzzle to me but I had to admit her dedication was rather impressive even if perplexing.
This was not the only recent behavior that gave me pause. She had also developed an affectionate habit of licking my legs when I was nearby.
Though initially alarming, I worked to contain my instinct to flinch away which could provoke her to nip. As her scratchy tongue made contact with my bare skin, I had to override the nervous energy this triggered within me.
Just stay calm I told myself, allowing her innocent displays of affection however spine-chilling. Both the sensation of her cold, wet tongue and the possibility of sharp teeth on flesh caused me anxiety. Yet I withstood the experience, letting her loving intentions override my worried projections.
Today that tolerance was tested again when my younger sister bounded into our home after school. Bursting with unrestrained excitement to greet this newly discovered furry friend, my sister rushed the backyard with enthusiasm. But she was met with a barrage of suspicious barks from my dog who saw this unfamiliar human as some threat.
My sister was crestfallen but I explained dogs are just cautious around strangers, requiring time before providing affection or trust to new people. Gradually the barks subsided as curiosity Got the better of her canine instincts. She extended cautious sniffs toward my smiling sister who delighted at this subtle progress. Yes, dogs never cease to remind me of small furry humans, I thought with amusement.
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